Method of tying knots in wires



Feb. 9, 1965 G? E. MARICA 3,168,912

METHOD OF TYING KNOTS IN WIRES Filed Jan. 2, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 II'NVENTOR. GLEN E. MAR/CA ATTORNEYS Feb. 9, 1965 G- E. MARICA 3,168,912

METHOD OF TYING KNOTS IN WIRES Filed Jan. 2, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 L INV EN TOR. F/g. Hg. 12. "GLEN MAR/C4 f A T TOR/YE Y5 Feb. 9, 1965 G- E. MARICA 3,163,912

METHOD OF TYING KNOTS IN WIRES Filed Jan. 2. 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. GLEN E. MAR/CA BY Hg. 12 'fbiw A 7' TORNE Y8 Feb. 9, 1965 G. E. MARICA 3,168,912

METHOD OF TYING KNOTS IN WIRES Filed Jan. 2, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 35 INVENTOR. F 3 0. GLE/V E. MAR/CA 5 ATTORNEYS concrete form ties.

United States Patent Ofitice 3,168,)12 ME'EHGD F TYKNQ KPJQ'ES EN WlllRES Glen E. Marina, Denver, Qulo. (Rte. 1, Box 336, Morrison, @020.) Filed Lian. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 163,678 1@ (Claims. (Cl, 14tllt3l) This invention relates to a method for tying knots in wires, and more particularly for tying knots in wires adapted for use as concrete form ties. This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 774,465, filed November 17, 1958.

Metal wires are extensively used in the arts and for many uses it is desirable to employ more than one piece of wire and Where two or more pieces of wire are employed the several pieces must be joined. Many different methods are available, such as soldering, welding, brazing,

and much used in connection with cords and ropes but neither the square knot nor the thief knot, as far as a is known, have been used to any extent in connection with high tensile strength wire because not previously suitable for use where the articles are made by hand or by high speed machinery.

Certain problems are inherent in the use of wire for Most commonly, two wires are used toeach tie, each wire extending through the sheathing forming opposite sides of the concrete form and around a post or stake used to support the sheathing, the ends thereof being tied together between the sides of the concrete form to form a closed loop. To resist the stress imposed when concrete is poured between the forms, wire of relatively high tensile strength is utilized, which may be high carbon steel or alloy steel. In general, the knots may be produced with the wire in annealed or j softer condition and the completed form tie then heat treated to provide the desired tensile strength. However,

even the annealed wire is difiicultto work with. Thus, it is quite diilicult to tie knots in the ends of the wires to join them together, so they will not slip when high stresses are placed thereon due to the concrete being poured intothe forms.

Also, if the knots are tied by hand, the task is quite laborious and time consuming,

considerably raising the labor cost involved. high speed machine operation is desirable, but a suitable method for use withsuch a machine must employ relativelysimple steps, since a machine cannot readily perform, for instance, the steps required in tying the usual square knot by hand. Furthermore, unless the knots are properly tied, the concrete will not fiow freely around the wires, but air spaces will be left around the wires,

- which often allow water or moisture to seep through the concrete wall causing undesirable leakage, particularly if the formties areused in pouring basement walls.

Among the objects of this invention are to provide a novel method of tying a knot'in the ends of two wires to join them together; to provide a novel method of tying a thief knot in two wires; to provide a method of tying two knots simultaneously in two wires, which is particularly useful in the manufacture of concrete form ties; to provide such a method which will produce a knot which will not slip; to provide a method of tying a knot in the ends of two wires, which knot may be used to hold forms in spaced relation; to provide a method of Thus, a

Patented Feb. 9, 1965 tying knots in wires, useful in producing concrete form ties, which knots allow free flow of concrete around the wires to prevent leaks; to provide a method of tying two wires together in the manufacture of form ties which may be performed easily and quickly; and to provide a method of tying two wires together, the steps of which are relatively simple but can be carried out rapidly.

Additional objects and the novel features of this invention will become apparent from the description which follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan viewof two wires, illustrating a first step of the method of this invention in the production of form ties, which comprises the formation of a loop at the end of each wire;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the two wires of FIG. 1, after a second step, comprising the formation of angles in the loops, has been performed;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the wires of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of thewires of FIG. 2, after a third step, comprising bending the wires adjacent their centers, has been performed;

FIG. 5 is a condensed top plan view of the wires of FIG. 4, after a fourth step, comprising superimposing and placing the loops thereof into each other, has been line 77 FIG. 5, during a fifth step, comprising pulling the loops into each other;

FIG. 10 is a condensed side elevation of the wires of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a horizontal section, taken along line 11-11 of PEG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a horizontal section taken along line 12-12 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is a condensed, top plan view of the wires of FIG. 9, after the knots have been pulled tight;

FIG. 14 is a condensed side elevation of the wires of FIG. 13, showing particularly the knots;

FIG. 15 is a condensed top plan view of the wires of HG. 13 after a seventh step, comprising bending certain protruding ends of the wires, has been performed to pro- 1 vide a finished form tie;

FIG. 16 is a condensed side elevation of the form tie of FIG. 15; i 1

FIG. 17 is a perspective view, in vertical section and o a reduced scale, showing the form tie of FIGS. 15 and 16 in use; i

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary, top plan view showing a loopformed in the end of a first wire as a first step of an alternative, method of this invention of tying'a knot in the ends of two wires;

FIG. 19; is a fragmentary top plan view showing a secand wire having a loop formed therein, but with the bend in the opposite direction, the second wire being later of FIG. 22;

FIG. 25 is a vertical section, taken along line 25-25 of FIG. 22, showing the position of the Wires;

FIG. 26 is a top plan view, after the free end of each loop has been pulled into the other loop;

FIG. 27 is a horizontal section, taken along line 27-27 of FIG. 26;

FIG. 28 is a horizontal section, taken along line 28-28 of FIG. 26;

FIG. 29 is a fragmentary top plan view, after the loops have been pulled more tightly together; and

FIG. 30 is a fragmentary top plan view, showing the completed knot formed in the wires.

In accordance with this invention, a pair of wires and 11 of FIG. 1, which are later bent intermediate their ends, as in FIG. 4, may be tied to each other at their respective ends to form a concrete form tie, by means of a type of square knot more accurately described as a thief knot. Advantageously, the wires may be formed and the knots tied by means of a machine, considerably reducing the cost and increasing the speed with which the form ties maybemanufactured. Thus, form ties may be manufactured at a plant and shipped to the job, ready to install. Of course, the'form ties may be made in varying lengths for different widths of forms.

For manufacture of form ties with a machine, the relatively easy steps of the method illustrated in FIGS. 1-16 are particularly useful, since each step involves merely bending, pushing or pulling. Thus, as in FIG. 1, a first wire 10 is bent back on itself at one end to form a larger loop L having a leg 12 which extends back along wire 10 and crosses thereover, while a smaller loop or bight B is formed at the opposite end of wire 10, having a leg 13 extending back along wire 10 and inwardly into contact therewith or spaced therefrom. Similarly, a second wire 11 is provided with a larger loop L having a leg 14 extending toward wire 11 and crossing thereover, while the opposite end is formed with a smaller loop or bight B having a leg 15 extending back along and inwardly into contact therewith or spaced therefrom. The wires 10 and 11 may be cut to length and the loops formed by bending the respective ends around mandrels or posts, or wire may be fed intermittently from two rolls to spaced bending stations at which bight B and loop L are formed, then appropriate lengths cut off and loop L and bight B formed. Then,as in FIGS. 2 and 3, the end portion 16 of loop L of wire 10 is bent upwardly, as viewed in FIG. 3, while the end portion 17 of bight B is bent downwardly; similarly, the end portion 18 of loop L of wire 11 is bent upwardly, while the end portion 1? of bight B is bent downwardly; As will be evident, the two wires are now similar, but disposed in opposite lengthwise directions, although the stations at which the bending of the end portions of the loops and bights are accomplished, as by clamping the loops while bending the end portions thereof, may be staggered longitudinally in preparation for the next step, which is to bend each wire 10 and 11 adjacent the center, as shown in FIG. 4, to form arcs or half loops 20 and 21, respectively, and cause loop L of wire 10 with its upward bend 16 to face bight B of wire 11 with its downward bend 19, and bight B with its upward bend 17 to face loop L with its downward bend 18. It will be noted that the portion of each wire which contains the smaller loop or bight is longer than the portion which contains the larger loop, although these positions may be reversed. Also, it will be understood that the length of each wire may be considerably greater than that shown, depending upon the length of form tie or other article to be produced.

Next, the loop and bight of each wire is moved into the opposed bight and loop of the other wire, as by superimposing loop L over bight B and loop L over bight in a position corresponding to that of FIG. 5, then moving or pushing loops L and L downwardly or bights- B and B upwardly, so that each loop and bight will snap over the opposite wire, to the position shown in FIGS. 5-8. Thus, wire 10 at loop L will snap downwardly between leg 15 of bight B and wire 11, while wire 11 at bight B will snap upwardly between leg 12 of loop L and wire 10; similarly, wire 11 at loop L will snap downwardly between leg 13 of loop B and wire 10, while wire 10 at bight B will snap upwardly between leg 14 of loop L and wire 11. Thus, each loop and bight will encompass both the opposite wire and the leg of the op posite bight or loop, respectively. This manipulation may be easily accomplished, particularly when the wires are formed of resilient steel. The loops and bights will assume the interlocking position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The position of the wires at this point may also be vmore clearly understood by referring to FIGS. 7 and 8.

A similar result may be obtained by pushing one of the wires toward the other wire, or pushing both together, so that from the position of FIG. 4, the inner side of upwardly extending bend 16 of loop L will move longitudinally to snap between leg 15 of bight B and wire 10, while the inner side of downwardly extending bend 19 of bight B will snap longitudinally between leg 12 of loop L and wire 10; similarly and simultaneously, the inner side of downwardly extending bend 17 of bight B will move longitudinally to snap between leg 14 of loop L and wire 11, while the inner side of bend 18 of loop L Will snap longitudinally between leg 13 of bight B and wire 10. Again, the loops and bights will be placed in the interlocking position of FIGS. 5 and 6.

The next step is to pull thewires 1t) and 11 longitudinally away from each other, so that loop L and bight B are pulled into .each other, such as to and past the position of FIGS. 9 and 10, to start the formation of a pair of knots. The locations of the portions of the wires within the knots, particularly the knot in the upper portion of FIG. 9, are shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. It will be understood that the pull is preferably continuous and that the positions shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 are only momentary, but are shown so as to illustrate the manner in which the knots are formed. Also, it will be noted that legs 12 and 14 of loops L and L, respectively, are longer than legs 13 and 15 of bights B and B, respectively. As the pull continues, the loops and bights are deformed as the knots are drawn tight, as in FIGS. 13 and 14. As the knots are drawn tight, the loops and bights will be deformed to produce the smooth curves shown, thereby bringing the former bends 16 to 19 into the knots. Also, each knot will twist as it is pulled tight,'so that the knots themselves will be more nearly perpendicular to theplane of the wires 10 and 11, which are preferably clamped in position. during the pulling step which forms the knots. In addition, legs 13 and 15 of bights Band B, respectively, will be on the inside of the closed loop now formed, while the legs 12 and 14 of loops L and L', respectively, will diverge outwardly, in an accessible position for the final step in producing form ties. It will be noted that the knots, after the respective loops and bights are drawn tight, are not truly square knots but rather thief knots, since wires 10 and 11 are on opposite sides of the knots, rather than the same side, and similarly legs 12 and 15 of one ends 22 and 23 of legs 12 and 13 are bent downwardly,

The manner in which the concrete form ties are used is illustrated in FIG. 17, wherein the sides of the forms are formed by sheathing, such as boards 25. Of course, any number of boards may be used, depending on the height of the wall to be poured and the width of the boards. Stakes or steel rods 26 are spaced intermittently along the sheathing for supporting it and the correspond ing rods 26 on opposite sides of the forms are joined together by the form ties to prevent the forms from spreading when the concrete is poured. Advantageously, the form ties are made in lengths corresponding to the lateral spacing of rods 26 so that they may he slipped over the upper ends thereof and down against a board which has previously been put in place. Stops 22 and 23 conveniently engage the inner edges of vertically adjacent boards to hold them against the rods. Conveniently, a form tie is provided above each board. Normally, the form ties will cause a small crack to be left between the boards, but this is not critical because the concrete is of sutficient viscosity so as to not leak unduly thorugh these cracks.

However, if desired, the boards may be notched to provide a tighter fit. As will be evident, although the knots are tight and have a tensile strength substantially equal to that of the wires, there is sufilcient space between stops 22 and 23 and wires it and 11, respectively, into which the concrete may flow, while each knot is disposed a sufiicient distance inwardly from the form that air bubbles at the edges of the concrete wall are not produced.

The alternative method illustrated in FIGS. 18-30 is the same as disclosed and claimed in my above-mentioned parent application Ser. No. 774,465. The alternative method, as well as the method previously described, may be used in tying knots between wires when only one knot is required, although each may be used in tying t two knots simultaneously to connect the ends of two wires. Thus, the alternative method will be described in connection with the tying of one knot only, but it will be understood that it may be used in tying two knots simultaneously, as in the production of form ties. Thus, the alternative method may be used in tying a knot to connect a pair of wires 3t and 31 of FIGS. 18 and 19, respectively. The first step comprises forming, as by bending, a bight 31 in the end of wire 30, the bight terminating in a leg 32 which extends generally parallel to or inwardly toward wire 3'19, on one side thereof, and similarly forming a bight 34% in the end of wire 31, but on the opposite side thereof, night 3 4 terminating in a leg 35 extending generally parallel to or inwardly toward wire 31. The next step comprises bending bight 32 of wire 3b upwardly and bight 3 t downwardly, as to the positions shown in FIGS. 20 and 21. The angle to which bights 32 and 34- are bent may be but this angle is not critical. Thus, a similar loop is formed at the end of each wire but with the bights bent in the opposite direction, as in the previous embodiment. However, in this embodiment, the loops at each end of the Wires may be generally the same size. The loops are then brought into overlying relationship, as in FIGS. 22 to 25, and the loops are laid into each other so that the portion of wire 31 adjacent bight 34 passes between the portion of wire 3d adjacent bight 32 and leg 33, while the portion of wire 3% adjacent bight 32 passes between the portion of wire 31 adjacent bight 34 and leg 35, so that wire 31 lies in bight 34-.

Finally, legs 33 and 35 are directed through bights 34 and 32, respectively, so that when the wires are pulled away from each other, the wires, legs and bights will move to and through the momentary position shown in FIGS. 2628. Continuation of the pull or outward force exerted on the two wires will draw the loops together, as in FIG. 29, and finally form the knot, as in FIG. 30.

The alternative method described above may be utilized to tie a single knot, when desired, between opposite ends of the same wire, as for securing form ties in bundles.

Of course, the alternative method may be used to tie two knots simultaneously to connect the opposite ends'of two wires, as for producing form ties. In the latter instance, one leg at each knot may be made longer than the other leg. Assuming that leg 33 is longer, the end of leg 33, at each knot, may be bent downwardly to form a stop to hold the sheathing adjacent the rods, as in the previous embodiment.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that the methods of constructing a form tie in accordance with this invention fulfill to a marked degree the requirements and objects hereinbefore set forth. A method has been provided by which knots may be tied simultaneously in the ends of two wires to join them together, as to form a concrete form tie. Since this knot is a type of square knot, more accurately known as a thief knot, it willnot slip due to the pressure exerted by the concrete poured into the forms. In addition, the extending ends of the wires maybe bent to form stops to hold the sheathing in spaced relation before the concrete is poured. Furthermore, it is readily apparent that these methods may be performed by a machine, since each of the steps cornprises merely bending, pushing and pulling, or some translation. Thus, the wires are bent prior to tying the knot and then brought into an overlying, engaging relationship, so that the knots may readily be formed by merely pulling the wires longitudinally.

Although the method of this invention has been de scribed in connection with tying the ends of two wires together, or the opposite ends of two wires together, it will be understood that the two ends of a single wire may be connected to form a closed loop. Thus, when in the appended claims, reference is made to joining two vires or the ends of two wires, such reference encompasses the joining of the opposite ends of a single wire, except where joining both of the opposite ends of two wires is specified.

Although two preferred methods of this invention have been illustrated and described, it will be readily understood that the various steps of the methods may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of joining the ends of two wires together, which wires are either parallel or in axial alignment, comprising forming a loop at an end of each wire by bending said wires adjacent their ends but in opposite directions; bending a portion of each said loop out of the plane of the respective loop but in opposite directions; superimposing one loop in the other loop so that the end of each loop is within the bight of the other loop and each wire is disposed in the bight of the loop of. the other wire; and pulling said wires longitudinally and away from each other, so that the end of each loop is drawn through the bight of the other loop, with sufiicient force to form a knot.

2. A method of joining the ends of two wires together, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said knot is produced simultaneously at the opposite ends of said two wires.

3. A method of joining the ends of two wires together, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said loops are formed by bending said wires through an angle of approximately 4. A method of joining the ends of two wires together, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said loops are formed by bending said Wires through an angle of more than 180.

5. In a method of making a closed loop from two wires, the steps comprising forming a loop at the opposite ends of each wire by bending said wires adjacent their ends but in opposite directions, each said loop having a reversely extending leg; bending an end portion of each said loop out of the plane of the respective loop but in opposite directions; bending each of said wires intermediate their centers through an angle of approximately 180 in the general plane of said loops; moving the loops of r 7 7 one of said wires into the loops of the otherof said wires with the bent portions of all of said loops extending 4 away from said wires, so that each wire and the adjacent leg is disposed in the loop of the other wire; and pulling said wires longitudinally away from each other so that the end of each loop is drawn through the bight of the other loop, with sufficient force to form knots joining said wires in a closed loop.

6. In a method as set forth in claim 5, wherein said loops are formed by bending said Wires through an angle of approximately 180.

7. In a method as set forth in claim 5, wherein said loops are formed by bending said wires through an angle of more than180".

8. A method of making a concrete form tie, comprising the steps set forth in claim 5, wherein the leg of one loop of each of said wires is longer than the leg of the other loop of the same Wire; and including bending the extending end of each said longer leg, after said knot has been formed, so that said end is generally perpendicular to the plane of said form tie.

9. The method of joining two wires arranged in end opposed relation, which consists of the following steps: folding a portion of the adjacent ends of the wires reversely through an angle of approximately 180 forming an open ended loop whose sides are joined by an arcuate bight portion, the two loops being oppositely arranged; subjecting the bight portions of the loops to a bending force moving them into planes angularly related to the planes of the loop, the bight of one wire being upwardly ranging and that of the other wire being downwardly ranging; moving the wires relative to each other until their respective loop portions assume an overlapping, superimposed position; subjecting the two loops to forces which bring the plane of the lower loop into a position & above the plane or" the upper loop and each wire into the bight of the other wire and the ends of the loops into position to enter the bights of the other loop; and subjecting the wires to a separatingtorce moving the bights toward each other and completing the knot.

adjacent ends of the wires reversely through an angle of approximately to form in each a loop having spaced, generally parallel sides joined by an arcuate bight portion and with one of such sides in each case constituting the terminal end portion of the wire; bending the arcuate bight portion of each such loop to deform the same angularly with respect to the sides of the loop and at an oblique angle thereto; orienting said wires such that the bight of one is upwardly ranging and the bight of the other is downwardly ranging; moving the wires toward each other relatively until their respective loops assume an overlapping superimposed position, with the bight of one loop being disposed beyond theterrninal end side of the other wire in each case and with the main side of each loop being between parallel planes containing the main side and terminal end side of the other wire; relatively rotating said loops so that the terminal end side of each is aligned through the respective other loop; separating the two wires to move the bights toward each other tinuing such separation until the sides of each loop are pinched together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Gorse Nov. 25, 1890 Schmitz Dec. 29, 1960 

1. METHOD OF JOINING THE ENDS OF TWO WIRES TOGETHER, WHICH WIRES ARE EITHER PARALLEL OR IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT, COMPRISING FORMING A LOOP AT AN END OF EACH WIRE BY BENDING SAID WIRES ADJACENT THEIR ENDS BUT IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS; BENDING A PORTION OF EACH SAID LOOP OUT OF THE PLANE OF THE RESPECTIVE LOOP BUT IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS; SUPERIMPOSING ONE LOOP IN THE OTHER LOOP SO THAT THE END OF EACH LOOP IS WITHIN THE BIGHT OF THE OTHER LOOP AND EACH WIRE IS DISPOSED IN THE BIGHT OF THE LOOP OF THE OTHER WIRE; AND PULLING SAID WIRES LONGITUDINALLY AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, SO THAT THE END OF EACH LOOP IS DRAWN THROUGH THE BIGHT OF THE OTHER LOOP, WITH SUFFICIENT FORCE TO FORM A KNOT. 